The following Australian provisional patent applications are hereby incorporated by cross-reference. For the purposes of location and identification, US patent applications, identified by their US patent application serial numbers (USSN) are listed alongside the Australian applications from which the US patent applications claim the right of priority.
The present invention relates to an image processing method and apparatus and, in particular, discloses a Image Transformation Means Including User Interface.
The present invention further relates to the field of digital camera technology and, particularly, discloses a digital camera having an integral colour printer.
Traditional camera technology has for many years relied upon the provision of an optical processing system which images a negative of an image onto a photosensitive film which is subsequently chemically processed so as to xe2x80x9cfixxe2x80x9d the film and to subsequently allow for positive prints to be produced which reproduce the original image. Such an image processing technology, although it has become a standard, can be unduly complexed, is expensive and difficult technologies are involved in full colour processing of images. Recently, digital cameras have become available. These cameras normally rely upon the utilisation of a charged coupled device (CCD) to image the particular image. The camera normally includes the storage media for the storage of the imaged devices in addition to a connector for the transfer of images to a subsequent computer device for manipulation and printing out.
Such devices are generally inconvenient in that all images must be stored by the camera and printed out at some later stage. Hence, the camera must have sufficient storage capabilities for the storing of multiple images and, additionally, the user of the camera must have access to a subsequent computer system for the downloading of the images and there printing out by a computer device or the like. Further, it would be desirable to be able to provide a simplified user interface for the production of image manipulations and enhancements to images captured.
The present invention relates to an alternative form of user interface for operating a device such as a camera.
In accordance with a first aspect of the invention there is provided a user interface for operating a device, said user interface comprising a card which is inserted in a machine and on the face of the card is contained a visual representation of the effect the card will have on the output of the machine.